Animal snare



30,/1930. N, R, CARR EI' A1.v l

ANIMAL SNARE Filed NOV. 26, 1927 Patented Sept. 30, 1930 UNITE-D STATES NPATENTomer;

NORMAN R. `CARR-ANZI) CLAUDE C.-`MILLER,OF LITITYZ, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO ANIMAL TRAP COMPANY OF AMERICA,

TIoN or PENNSYLVANIA OF LITIIZ, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- ANrMAL. SNARE Application filed November 26, 1,9277. `Serial No. 235,794.

The present invention relates to snares of the kind comprising a oord or cable ending in a running noose adapted to be arranged in runways or other suitable spots likely, to

be frequented byr the animals to becaught. Such snares as usually arranged for large animals comprise trigger means for releasing means exerting a powerful pull on the cord such as a bent-over sapling or spring whereby when the animal springs the snare theV backs, for example, they entail somewhat` more work in setting than the spring jaw traps which may be merely placed onithe ground in a suitable' spot, whereas the running noose has to be arranged and provided with Vmeans for tensioning, and means for releasing. While all these parts may be fashioned from undergrowth at hand, this preparation entails expenditure of time.

The snare is also liable to be sprung by game other than that desired to be trapped, since the releasing trigger is d-esirably set to be operated by a slight pressure such as Amay be caused. by a much smaller animal than that desired to be trapped. These animals if held in the trap disclose by their cries the spotv Where the trap is placed, with the result that this spot will be duly noted and avoided for a considerable. period by other animals. In order to avoid this latter i disadvantage we have devised a snare from which smaller animals thanV those t0 be trapped may escape. 1 Y i The resetting of a snare trap 1s also usually of a more complicated kind than the setting of a spring trap in that the spring means have again to be tensioned, the noose again hung and the ltrigger set. In accordance with our invention this objection has been overcome4 owing to the fact that the only reset,- ting required is toslip the locking means back along the cable. The overcoming of these vand other disadvantages was had in `,view when devising the Vsnare of our-invention as will appear from the following specification and drawings.

. The invention has for its general object to provide a snare ofthe running noose type in which the necessity 'forthe provision of meansto exert a pull such as a spring or the like is obviated by so constructing the snare thatl the noose is automatically locked when tightened on the animal. p A further object of the invention is to provide a running noose snare with locking `means of a simple and efiicient character not having any working parts that may get out of order. i

A further object of the invention is to provide asnare having means to prevent animals of a smaller size than those Adesiredto be trapped from being held in the snare.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snare of the running noose type utilizing a wire cable provided with means `for automatically'locking the noose in tightened position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snare of the running noose type formed from wire cable having tightening means for the cable end whereby the snare may be attached to a tree, log, or other `suitable object, 4such tightening means while simple and reliable in operation having no parts subject to wear or deterioration, and enabling the snare to be placed inv a minimum of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snare of the running noose type in which all the parts may be manufactured at very small cost and are practically indestructible. j Y Y Further objects ofthe invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention adapted for the trapping of Wolves isV illustrated by way of example only,and itis to be understood that the invention is not in any way limited by the .said illustrated embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. lis ageneral view of the snare set.

2 is a `detail view showing the locking means vfor the running noose in slack position.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the locking means showing the same with the noose in tightenedV position and held by the locking means ,against movement in a direction to release an' animal. A

Fig. i is a enlarged detail view'in section' outhe lined-4 ,of 5l .of the readily vreleasable clamp.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of ther readily releasable clamp for attaching the snare to a tree or the like.

ln the drawings similar reference numervals indicate similar parts.

` l indicates the cable which in the preferred form is of rustlcss steel stranded cable, the characteristics of which are extremely Well suited to achieve the results intended since it cannot be bitten through by the animal, is supple enough to run freely through the animals than desired from being held in the snare, and

Ll indicates the readily releasable clamp. As will be realized from Fig. l, the snare may be rolled into a small compass and a number may be readily carried in the pocket.

rlhe locking means which forms an essential feature of the invention is stamped out to provide a tongue indicated at 5, and this tongue is struck up somewhat at one end from the plane of the locking means, the hole 6 thercl y formed in the locking piece being used to guide the cable between the locking piece and the tongue. The cable may be fastened at one end to said lockingpiece in any suitablek manner, but as shown in the drawings We prefer to provide the locking piece With tivo holes, the steel cable merely being threaded through the holes and being bent at a sharp angle after passing therethrough. The rigidity of the cable is such that -When bent througha small are a very great resiste ance to dislodgment by a pull on the cable is obtained, such resistance being in part due to the locking effect ofthe rectangular edges of the bores in the locking piece on the cab e. As shoivn We prefer to solder the end of the cable to prevent unravelling. v

The stop 3 in the form shown is merely a Vpressrlit on the cable, the snare `illustrated being one issued from the factoryset to prel vent the snaring of animals of less than a certain size. In the form illustrated the stop member is formed as a disc sutliciently large to prevent a cable being drawn through the lockingl member 2. This disc is provided in manufacture With a pushed out central portion, the stop member is threaded on the cable andthe pushed out portion forced back toward the disc untilr a suiliciently secure cngagenient Withthe cable is obtained. It will be realized that the strand formation of the cable cooperates With the edges of the pushed out portion to make a secure binding engagement With the cable.

The stop 3 may of course be placed on the cable during manufacture to foi'm a pcrma nent part of the snare, a variety of snares being` carried vby the trapper to suit the particuvlar animals desired to be trapped, but even when the stop is thus liXed it is pointed out that adjustment of the noose may be readily el'lected by pulling more of the free end of the cable through the locking piece. lt Would also be possible to arrange the stop an adjustable member by forming it, for instance, in tvvoparts, one of which screws into the other and is arranged as a chuck. It could thus be tightened upon the cable at any desired point. y

It will be realized that the nature of the steel cable actively cooperates with the shape of the locking piece to prevent movement of the locking piece back along the cable unless moved by hand. i

rl`he tongue is struck up from the locking piece sufficiently to leave space for the cable lto run freely between the tongue and the locking piece when the latter is at a fairly sharp angle thereto and inclined forwardly toward the running noose. yThis is the position naturally assumed by the locking piece on the noose being tightened during which time the run of the cable on which the locking piece moves is substantially straight. The rigidity of the cable is such that While it Will flex readily in curves of relatively large radius it has a very considerable resistance to being bent into curves of small radius.

In the tightened position as shown in Fig. 3 the cable is forced into an arc of relatively `small radius by the projecting tongue, and

presses strongly against the sharp edge thereof. Any effort to move the locking piece back along the cable tends to swing it about a pivot passing through the point at Which the cable rests against the edge of the hole G in the locking piece, thus Vforcing the cable t0 take a curve ofstill smallerradius and increasingly forcing the tongue vagainst said cable thus increasing the'jamming effect.. v

The snare is preferably designed to catch the animal around theneck or body, since a Wolf or fox caught bythe paw not only may escape by gnawing olf the paw, but byvlay# ing the snare-on the ground a variety of smaller' animals might also be snared. By setting the snare to catch animals by the neck the loop is of course hung well above the ground, and the loop even when tightened may be of a relatively` large size, so that smaller animals would probably run below the level of the loop, or if caught would be able to release themselves therefrom, while an animal held by the neck would be quite powerless to release itself. A large loop has a further advantage in that the locking piece is automatically tilted into a jamming 'position by the fact that the tightening of the loop causes the cable at its attached end to vbe bent outwardly, thus obtaining the pivoting effect of the locking piece already referred to.

Since there is no relative movement of the locking piece and cable there is practically no wear on the effective edge of the tongue 5, so that the snare is substantially proof against becoming inoperative through long continued use. The material vfrom which the locking piece is made is preferably formed from rust-proof material, but even should rusting occur the light friction of the stranded cable would serve to keep `the, operative edges of the locking piece free from rust.

rlChe snare is adapted to be anchored to an objectsuch as a fallen tree or the like, by means of a readily releasable clamp formed like t-he locking` piece from a mild steel stamping. This clamping piece is preferably providedwith two holes serving to attachthe cable in the same'manner as used for the Y locking piece, but of course any other suitable method of attachment may be used.

The clamping member essentially comprises an aperture through which a loop of the cable may be passed, and ay projection over which the loop may be placed. As before stated the stranded wire cable while sufliciently flexible to run easily through the apertures in the locking and clamping pieces when straight orslightly curved, has considerable resistance to bending into an arc of small radius, this resistance being exerted against the edges of the apertures in the pieces. The cable when placed in the clamp ing piece is bent into an arc of relatively small radius, and the effort of this bent portion to increase the radius of curvature is suliicient to maintain the clamp securely in positionon the cable even when the latter is slack. The pull on the cable bythe trapped animal acts to force the cable into sharp bends at the point where it passes into and out of the aperture 9 and still further increases the clamping effect, preventing any possibility of disengagement of the cable from the clamp.

ln the form illustrated in Fig. 4; the clamp comprises a plate 7 provided with apertures l0 struck up from the plate. This projection is preferablyas shown in the form of an arrow head pointing away from the aperture 9 thus facilitating the slipping of the loop thereover. lt will be noticed that the pro-V jections are provided with cutaway portions V 11V at the base in which the cable may lie snugly. It will be seen that all that is necessary to free the clamp is to push the loop a little through the clamp so that the loop passes over the projection l0, and to tilt the loop Vover said projectionL and withdraw it through the aperture 9.

It is believed that sullicient description of the invention has been given to enable anyone conversant with snares to fully understand the novel features thereof, and that it will be realized that we have provided a very efficient, simple, veconomical and durable snare having valuable and novel features.

VVhatvwe claim is 1. An animal snare comprising a flexible member, a rigid apertured locking member attached to one end thereof, a tongue adjacent said aperture and at an angle to the plane of said locking member adapted to grip said lleXible member in said aperture upon relative angular movement between. said locking member and said flexible member.

2. An animall snare comprising a flexible member, a rigid locking piece on one end` thereof and having an aperture adapted to allow passage therethrough of said member an aperture adapted to allow passage of said Y flexible member therethrough, and a rigid tongue integral with said piece, at an angle to the same and adapted to grip said flexible member in said aperture upon relative angular motion between said piece and said flexible member.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures. Y i

\ NORMAN R. CARR. Y CLAUDE C. MILLER. 

